Atlanta Police Chief George Turner said investigators know who some of the suspects are who were videotaped attacking a 20-year-old gay man outside a southwest Atlanta neighborhood store.
"We have identified at least two of the three individuals," Turner said Thursday night at an emergency public safety meeting organized by the Pittsburgh Community Improvement Association.
“The fugitive department has a couple of warrants they are working to try to bring those individuals to justice.”
More than 70 people were at the meeting -- held at Iconium Baptist Church, directly across the street from the JVP Market where Brandon White was attacked Saturday-- to discuss solutions for what they see as a problem with crime and violence that centers on the store at 1029 McDaniel Street.
White's attackers yelled anti-gay slurs during the beating Saturday. Video of the beating was posted online and went viral.
“I shouldn’t have to look over my shoulder just because I’m gay,” White told reporters during a news conference Wednesday. “Who’s to say they won’t try to come after me again? Who can say they won’t try to kill me?”
Turner did not indicate Thursday evening whether the now-$15,000 reward for information on the case – Mayor Kasim Reed’s office increased the reward again from $10,000 on Wednesday – helped to garner information.
But Pittsburgh community residents said they wanted to see more than just justice brought to the three men who attacked White.
“We’re shutting the store down,” Pittsburgh CIA head LaShawn Hoffman said, speaking of the JVC Market.
Claiming the so-called “pink store” allows gang members to loiter outside at all hours of the day or night, residents and business owners say the store is a magnet for trouble where fighting, gambling and drug activity takes place.
“You come through at 6 o’clock in the morning … they’re standing,” resident Katrina Green said of the loitering teens. “You come at midnight, and they’re still standing.”
“Shut it down, and that will clear the outside," Renisha Richardson said. “[The owners are] letting them have their drugs there.”
Claire Farley, a community prosecutor for Fulton County District Attorney Paul Howard Jr. told those at the meeting that the D.A.’s office would close the store.
“Paul Howard has ordered the store shut down,” Farley said. “The store is my responsibility now.”
Police Zone 3 commander Maj. Barbara Cavender has said authorities will use the city’s public nuisance ordinance to close the store. The ordinance defines a building as a nuisance if “it is perilous to life or property by reason of its construction, condition, quantity of its contents, or its use, or the overcrowding at any time by persons therein.”
Police point to excessive amounts of responses to the address, with more than 540 calls from there since January 2010 that include 280 police-initiated “drop-ins” or proactive patrols to deter crime, as well as a double shooting that left two men paralyzed and a homicide there – both last summer.
“Ten twenty-nine McDaniel will be the first location [we] will try to charge with [the nuisance abatement ordinance],” Cavender said in an email sent Thursday night to the Atlanta Journal-Constitution.
Crime Stoppers is offering a $15,000 reward for information on the case. Anyone with information should call 404-577-8477.
We have identified at least two of the three individuals," Turner said Thursday night at an emergency public safety meeting organized by the Pittsburgh Community Improvement Association.
“The fugitive department has a couple of warrants they are working to try to bring those individuals to justice.”
More than 70 people were at the meeting -- held at Iconium Baptist Church, directly across the street from the JVP Market where White was attacked Saturday-- to discuss solutions for what they see as a problem with crime and violence that centers around the store at 1029 McDaniel Street.
White's attackers yelled anti-gay slurs during the beating Saturday, and video of the beating posted online and had gone viral.
“I shouldn’t have to look over my shoulder just because I’m gay,” White told reporters during a news conference Wednesday. “Who’s to say they won’t try to come after me again? Who can say they won’t try to kill me?”
Turner did not indicate Thursday evening whether the now-$15,000 reward for information on the case – Mayor Kasim Reed’s office increased the reward again from $10,000 on Wednesday – helped to garner information.
But Pittsburgh community residents said they wanted to see more than just justice brought to the three men who attacked White.
“We’re shutting the store down,” Pittsburgh CIA head LaShawn Hoffman said, speaking of the JVC Market.
Claiming the so-called “pink store” allows gang members to loiter outside at all hours of the day or night, residents and business owners say the store is a magnet for trouble where fighting, gambling and drug activity takes place.
“You come through at 6 o’clock in the morning … they’re standing,” resident Katrina Green said of the loitering teens. “You come at midnight, and they’re still standing.”
“Shut it down, and that will clear the outside Renisha Richardson said. “[The owners are] letting them have their drugs there.”
Claire Farley, a community prosecutor for Fulton County District Attorney Paul Howard, Jr., told those at the meeting that the D.A.’s office would close the store.
“Paul Howard has ordered the store shut down,” Farley said. “The store is my responsibility, now.”
Police Zone 3 commander Maj. Barbara Cavender has said authorities will use the city’s public nuisance ordinance to close the store. The ordinance defines a building as a nuisance if “it is perilous to life or property by reason of its construction, condition, quantity of its contents, or its use, or the overcrowding at any time by persons therein.”
Police point to excessive amounts of responses to the address, with more than 540 calls from there since January 2010 that include 280 police-initiated “drop-ins” or proactive patrols to deter crime, as well as a double shooting that left two men paralyzed and a homicide there – both last summer.
“Ten Twenty-nine McDaniel will be the first location will try to charge with [the nuisance abatement ordinance],” Cavender said in an email sent Thursday night to the Atlanta Journal-Constitution.
Crime Stoppers is offering a $15,000 reward for information on the case. Anyone with information should call 404-577-8477.
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